Harry Potter and his Dreams

Harry Potter and his Dreams

Chapter One

It was the night of July 30^th and Harry was massaging his sore muscles while trying to finish up his Herbology essay on magical gardens. He had already written about types of soils that helped which plants grow best and about which plants were easiest to work with, and which plants should not be planted together. However he fell asleep halfway through his explanation of which spells to use to weed and which spells to use as repellents.

Harry woke up the next morning and immediately reached for some parchment to write a letter. Suddenly, his door flew open and Aunt Petunia stormed in.

"Today, you are going to finish the weeding you started yesterday, and you'd better do it right this time." She caught sight of his Herbology book and essay parchment sitting on the bed. She marched over and picked it up. Glancing it over she rounded on Harry, "How dare you write this rubbish! How dare you do this under my roof. I'm going to burn these," she added carrying them out of the room. She snatched the letter out of his hand on her way.

Harry sighed, this was the second time this had happened. Last time it had been his history book and essay. Now he'd have to buy two new books. Luckily, he'd finished his potions essay and it was safely put away. He stood and went down stairs to find his aunt. In the kitchen he found her, delightedly, ripping his Herbology book, page by page, and burning it in the pot belly stove.

"Aunt Petunia, now I'll have to buy a new text book. Can I at least keep the essay, so I can turn my homework in on time?" Harry asked, not really expecting her to agree, but just on the off chance that she would.

Petunia gave him a dirty look and snatched up the essay, and fed it into the fire. "You can't stop me. You'll be expelled from that freak school of yours if you do anything... unnatural," she said, picking up the letter he had started.

Harry thought about this for a moment and then reached into his pocket and pulled out his wand. "Expelliarmus!" he shouted, and the letter flew to his hand. Catching it, Harry set it on the table, then pointed his wand at it and muttered "Incendio," burning it immediately to a crisp.

Petunia stared at him in complete shock then she started screaming.

"Silencio!" Harry commanded.

Petunia continued screaming, only now no one could hear her.

Harry walked outside and proceeded to use one of the weeding charms he'd read about the night before. Vernon was just coming into the kitchen when Harry re-entered.

"What is the meaning..." Vernon trailed off as he saw Harry's wand pointing at him.

"Locomotor Mortis!" As the leg locker curse took effect, Vernon lost his balance and nearly fell over, but he caught himself on the counter.

Harry did a translation spell that Hermione had showed him and Ron the year before in preparation for the Tri-Wizard Tournament (she had figured it might be useful to know in case one of the guests had not known English). Vernon found himself yelling at Harry in Swahili. Dudley, hearing the commotion, walked into the kitchen and found himself face to face with a black snake that Harry had just conjured up.

"Circle him, but do no harm," Harry hissed at the reptile.

Looking around Harry saw a spider. He made a decision. He took the silencing charm off his aunt and did the jelly-legs curse on her. Then he transformed her teacup into a rat. He changed Uncle Vernon's language back to English and put a silencing charm on him.

Finally he was ready; he summoned the spider to the middle of the kitchen table.

"Watch closely everybody," Harry said in a dangerous voice, "Engorgio." The spider grew.

This is it, Harry thought to himself, it probably won't work, but even attempting this will get me expelled if what I've done already hasn't. He smiled in grim determination. "Crucio!" The spider started to writhe in pain. After a few moments Harry removed the curse and returned the spider to his normal size.

"I'm being nice Uncle Vernon; I could do that."

Harry lifted the wand and pointed it at his uncle, who was ashen and trembling.

"Tarantellagra!"

Uncle Vernon found that, far from his legs not working at all, he was now doing an Irish jig.

"Harry, I suggest you put your wand down," a steady voice behind him said. Harry smiled to himself, the response had been faster than he'd expected. Harry turned and, just to make sure there was no misunderstanding, pointed his wand at Albus Dumbledore. "Expelliarmus!" he said and caught the headmaster's wand.

Dumbledore stretched out his hand and said in a commanding voice, "Istoc accedete!" Both wands Harry was holding leaped into his open palm.

Quickly Dumbledore made the snake vanish, performed the counter-jinx on Petunia's Jelly-Legs, and ended the three spells on Vernon. He turned to Harry and immediately performed a restraining spell. Harry found that he could move freely, he was not confined in anyway, he simply could not move from the place he was standing. Dumbledore moved Harry into the living room then returned to the kitchen and questioned the Dursley's as to what had happened. Returning to the living room he transported himself and Harry to a room with two chairs and a table. He released Harry from the Restraining Spell and motioned for him to sit down.

Dumbledore sat across from Harry and addressed him, "Would you please explain your actions." It was not a request. Dumbledore's expression was as serious as Harry had ever seen him.

Harry looked away, glancing at the walls, and shrugged, "It was my birthday, I decided to have a little fun."

"Harry," there was a note of warning in Dumbledore's voice.

"Fine, I was sick of the way they treated me. Aunt Petunia took my Herbology book and essay, burnt them, and then ordered me to weed the garden. Yesterday Uncle Vernon had me rearranging the garage. I was sick of being their slave."

"I know that is as much a lie as your first answer was," Dumbledore said, Harry noticed there was no twinkle in his eye and that there was none of the usual kindness in his voice either. It reminded Harry of his second year when he and Ron had driven the flying Ford Angela to Hogwarts.

"How do you know that it's a lie?" Harry asked, he couldn't stop now.

"Because you are smart enough to know that a missing homework assignment would only result in a lower grade, while using magic to retrieve it would result in expulsion."

Harry, even though he knew his reasons for his actions, couldn't look Dumbledore straight in the eye for long. Focusing his gaze, on the professor's left ear he answered, "So maybe I wasn't thinking and did it in a fit of anger.

Dumbledore shook his head, "Harry, I want no more evasions. I want straight answers from you right now. Did you know what you were doing?"

"Of course," Harry finally answered with a sigh.

"Did you know the penalty?"

"Expulsion? Yes." Harry straightened his shoulders and sat up straighter and looked Dumbledore in the eye for a brief moment.

Dumbledore studied him then inhaled sharply and leaned forward, "You wanted to be expelled," he stated.

Harry shrugged staring at the paint covering the walls, it was an off-white non-color, making the room seem completely bleak and empty.

"Harry, do you realize where you are?" Dumbledore asked, bringing him back to look at those blue eyes.

Harry shook his head and went back to studying the walls, if he looked at Dumbledore, he'd break down and his whole plan would be ruined.

"You are at the Ministry Facility for Juvenile Wizard Offenders, also known as JWO (pronounced J-whoa), in an interrogation room. You will have a trial for using magic underage, especially for using the Cruciatus Curse, even if it wasn't on a human being. As a juvenile you have no bail. I'll help you Harry, all I can, if you explain to me why you did this." Dumbledore paused, waiting for Harry to answer. When it was apparent that he wasn't going to answer Dumbledore continued, "It is looked on better if you confess straight out what happened, rather than have a truth potion force it out." Dumbledore leaned back and waited for Harry to say something.

It was tempting. It was very tempting. Dumbledore could handle things, couldn't he? The longer the silence went on, the more sense it made to Harry to just tell Dumbledore. He broke the silence and drove the thoughts of telling everything right now from his head.

"How did you know?" Harry asked.

"About you doing magic? Your house is monitored, as are all homes of underage wizards. The Duty Supervisor saw what you were doing and followed code for a youth doing that much magic. The law says that doing that much magic requires not a letter, but intervention from a certified Ministry Youth Official to bring you in to questioning. I have the necessary qualifications. She sent me as a special favor to you."

"Who was it?"

"Molly Weasley. Its what she does over the summer to bring in some more income." Obviously, Harry thought, such a job would be useless during the school year because all the underage wizards would be in school where they are allowed to use magic.

Harry cringed inwardly; she'd be so disappointed. Ron would probably know by now. Then Harry reminded himself why and was glad.

"Your aunt said that you were writing a letter. Addressed to your friend," Dumbledore couldn't say the name because there were recording spells set up in the interrogation rooms, "What were you writing about?"

Harry didn't answer.

Dumbledore tapped his wand on the table and a parchment appeared. He read it quickly then told Harry, "Your trial is in five weeks, the courts are backed up and so you have a wait. You have the option of being in custody of Hogwarts until then or remaining here. Which would you prefer?"

"Here," Harry answered quickly.

"What is this sudden aversion to Hogwarts? Would you tell me that?"

Harry shook his head.

"Very well," Dumbledore sighed, disappointment entering his voice for the first time that morning.

"Will the papers know about this?" Harry could only imagine the field day Rita Skeeter would have with this story.

"No. The offenses and trials of underage wizards are, for the most part, shielded from the public eye. Your trial won't be in front of a jury either, only a juvenile court judge. As the apprehending official I'll be there and so will Molly Weasley, but there won't be a public audience. There are very few times when juveniles are tried as adults, so any offense you are convicted of will be sealed when you become a full-wizard."

"I harmed Muggles though, they certainly noticed my magic, why is that not an adult offense?" Harry wondered out loud.

"Because, technically, your relatives are what is called 'informed muggles.' They know of the wizarding world, just like the family of any muggle-born and are allowed to see powers exercised. An adult who did what you did to your relatives would get a stiff fine or a very short jail sentence, no more than three days. The bulk of your offense is the fact that you did magic at all."

Harry didn't reply. Dumbledore stood and prepared to transfer Harry to his cell.

"Thank you, for offering to help me. You'll find out later why I couldn't accept it," Harry said quietly, standing.

Dumbledore nodded and with a flick of his wand Harry found himself in a room. There was a bed, a table and a chair. A small bathroom with toilet and sink was connected. The door to the cell was solid, with a window set high in it. Every morning at 6 o'clock sharp Harry's room would light up. On the table would be fresh towels and clothes. Within minutes he was led to the showers. After returning food would appear on the table, the plate and utensils would disappear when he finished. Every night at 10 o'clock his lights would go out.

Harry was actually in a minimum security cell. He was allowed privacy, unlike in the high security cells. Only one person knew who he was. By special request he never met anyone else. The guard assigned to his block who checked on him periodically, and escorted him to and from the showers, library and exercise room, was the only person he saw.

Harry spent most of his time reading books from the library and finishing his homework, on the off chance that after the trial he'd be allowed to return to Hogwarts.

The five weeks went surprisingly fast and Harry found himself dressing in newer, nicer looking robes and holding the parchment on which his trial date and time were written, waiting for it to be activated as a portkey.

A sharp jerk at his naval told him it had activated. He found himself flying in a whirl of colors, landing with a jolt on his feet. He stumbled a bit and a hand reached out to steady him. He turned and nodded thanks to Molly Weasley. Taking in his surroundings he found himself in a rather crowded room. There were shelves and shelves of books lining the walls. On every available surface, besides the desk, were stacks of paper. Behind the desk sat a man wearing black robes with gold trim. He had brown hair and a handsome face, in fact if Harry hadn't known he was a wizard he'd have easily mistaken him for a lawyer on a muggle TV sitcom. A placard on the desk said "Mundungus Fletcher."

Dumbledore and Mrs. Weasley occupied two chairs, an empty one sat in the middle for Harry. Rather than sitting, though, Harry presented himself to the judge standing.

"Harry Potter, you are accused of performing 18 different spells on or in the presence of muggles as an underage wizard. How do you plead?" Mundungus began.

"Guilty," Harry answered, his voice steady.

"Very well, this will be a sentencing hearing then. I have the testimonies of both Molly Weasley and Albus Dumbledore concerning the day in question, July 31^st of this year. You will be administered a truth potion and asked questions concerning your actions. As an underage wizard you are not given the right to refuse a truth potion."

"I understand."

Judge Fletcher tapped his wand on the desk and a flask of potion appeared. "This is a mild truth potion, it will still force the truth but you will also have more control over yourself, not like when veritaserum is used. The potion allows us to see emotion, your cooperation or belligerency, while still bringing the truth out. This potion is also only active when I ask you questions. If anybody else asks you a question, you could lie or refuse to answer."

Harry picked up the potion and drank it all down quickly.

"Have a seat," Fletcher said

He sat in the available chair, Dumbledore to his left, Mrs. Weasley to the right.

"Why did you decide to use magic at all on the day of your birthday?" was the judge's first question.

"I wanted to get expelled," Harry answered simply.

"And why did you even attempt the Cruciatus Curse?"

"I knew that even if all the other spells wouldn't get me expelled, using that, even not on a human, would."

"Would you please explain why you wanted to get expelled from Hogwarts?"

"I knew I couldn't return the first week of Hogwarts and getting expelled was the first solution that came to mind."

"Why couldn't you return to school?"

"If I had been there it would have been too dangerous."

"So, you got expelled to protect yourself?"

"No!" Harry quickly corrected, "To protect Hogwarts."

"Why did Hogwarts need protection?"

Harry sighed, "I had a dream the night before, Voldemort was planning on attacking Hogwarts the night we got back to school, because Hogwarts defenses are not fully activated for about the first week of school."

"But how could you help protect it from this attack?"

"The spells aren't so weak that Voldemort could attack, but he has my blood in him, he's connected with me. The combination of the weakened defenses and his connection with me would have given him a very good chance at success. If I wasn't there it wouldn't work at all."

"Why didn't you tell an adult wizard all of this? Why did you decide to do this all by yourself?"

"I was going to but then my Aunt reminded me that by using magic I would be expelled. I thought it was the best thing to do."

"Who were you going to inform?"

Here Harry bit his lip and showed the first signs of not wanting to answer a question. Mundungus noticed this and waited, expecting the answer to burst forth any second. It did, but Harry put his hand over his mouth so nothing could come out.

"Harry, who were you going to inform?" Mundungus asked again, surprised at the strength Harry had to resist so long.

"Its ok Harry," Dumbledore said softly.

All signs of hesitation disappeared and Harry answered, "Sirius Black, my godfather."

"Harry, that answer will not go any further than this room. For your own peace of mind, I know he is innocent."

Harry sighed in relief.

"Have you been in contact with Professor Dumbledore in the past two weeks?"

"No, how could I have been?"

"Good, I can tell you that your story checks out completely with what Albus has told me."

Harry was confused and it showed on his face.

"Please explain to him, Albus."

Harry turned to the headmaster.

"Two weeks ago one of my spies told me that Voldemort was planning on attacking Hogwarts, that it would be achieved through your connection with Voldemort and because of the weak protections on Hogwarts. I realized that you must have known this and had gotten expelled to protect the school."

"Harry," he turned back to Mundungus, who continued, "I have one last question. Why did you not tell Dumbledore this on your birthday?"

"If I told him then he would have had to decide to protect either me or Hogwarts. I didn't want him to have to make that decision so I made it for him and put myself in the custody of the ministry."

Judge Fletcher nodded and pointed his wand at Harry, muttering something. "That nullified the potion. Now, all that is left is my decision as to sentencing. I believe that the reasons which you have presented are justifiable cause for magical use of an under-age wizard, under section I of paragraph D of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery of 1875. The Department of Juvenile Justice leaves the decision of repealing the expulsion from Hogwarts to the headmaster, Albus Dumbledore. However, it is the decision of this court also that Harry see a professional wizard counselor no less than twice a month, until such time as the counselor sees fit to discontinue such meetings."

"What! Why?" exclaimed Harry.

Mundungus sighed, "Harry, I've been working with young delinquent wizards for the past fifteen years. There are many reasons for their actions, most are in rebellion, some are dealing with more grief or anger than they can handle, others are raised in households where they are taught to hate and act out what they are taught. There are other reasons, too. But you are a rare case, I don't get many adolescents like you. Your reasons were not for yourself. That's all well and good, except you take too much on yourself. You try to protect everyone else, and you sacrifice yourself to do it. Sometimes that is necessary, but it should never be asked or expected from a child. You need to learn to let others help you, to trust the adults in your life."

Dumbledore didn't give Harry a chance to respond, but instead spoke up, "Mr. Potter I would be pleased to have you continue your education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I believe that we can also accommodate the court ordered counseling. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is qualified for such a position and she knows about your godfather."

"She?"

"Yes, Arabella Figg is her name."

As everyone stood up Mundungus spoke to Dumbledore, "Albus, it would be a good idea for Harry to stay in close contact with his godfather. If he is ever going to learn to trust others, particularly the adults that care about him, then they need to be at his disposal, especially one who is considered family."

Dumbledore nodded his agreement as he pulled the Hogwarts seal out of his pocket and tapped it with his wand. Molly smiled at Harry and wished him luck, then walked out of the office.

"Hold my hand Harry, the port key will be activated in thirty seconds.

"Harry, I wish you well. I don't want to have you here again, unless it is only a friendly visit," the judge said.

Harry grinned and was about to answer when the portkey activated. When he stopped moving he found himself in Dumbledore's office.